My boyfriend invited his friend over last night who had a stomach virus sunday. Now I've been totally ocd about lysoling EVERYTHING. I can't stop washing my hands or hand sanitizing. I'm seriously losing my mind. I keep thinking about germs being everywhere in my home. Its getting so bad I asked my dad if I could stay at his house for 2 weeks because I read online germs can stay on surfaces up to 2 weeks. My boyfriend shared cigs with him last night and I won't let my bf anywhere near me and he's beginning to get mad at me.

I'm sure im blowing this way out of proportion. The guy was only here for a few hours and all they did was sit on the couch and play video games.

What can I do to stop freaking out about germs?? This isn't new but I've never been so freaked out and ocd about my fear of germs.

I am the same way. Its hard not to let the OCD take over. If someone had come to my house with it I wouldve done the same thing. Problem is if you are going to get it, your going to get it. You didnt have direct contact with him so you should be fine and as scary as it is, remember its short lived and it wont kill you. I know thats easier to say than believe but worrying will lower your immune system so just try and pretend he wasnt even there.

I am the same way. Its hard not to let the OCD take over. If someone had come to my house with it I wouldve done the same thing. Problem is if you are going to get it, your going to get it. You didnt have direct contact with him so you should be fine and as scary as it is, remember its short lived and it wont kill you. I know thats easier to say than believe but worrying will lower your immune system so just try and pretend he wasnt even there.

I'm not so phobic in public places. I get that there's germs so I use proper hygiene..washing my hands and having hand sanitizer in my purse. But I like my home to be very clean and someone who was just ill in my home makes me feel like my safe zone was contaminated. I can't even sleep because I keep thinking about it.

I'm not so phobic in public places. I get that there's germs so I use proper hygiene..washing my hands and having hand sanitizer in my purse. But I like my home to be very clean and someone who was just ill in my home makes me feel like my safe zone was contaminated. I can't even sleep because I keep thinking about it.

It's very difficult to believe that you are more phobic in your own home than you are in public!
It will help, to a point, that you did not come into direct contact with this person, but most viruses are airborne, so even if you had locked yourself in the bathroon for his entire visit, if you're still breathing, and he was still contagious, you were exposed.
Staying at your dads is interesting. Is his home hermetically sealed? There are no germs in is home? The paper boy did not sneeze or cough through the screen door while waitig for your dad to get his check book? Has your father not had any visitors in the past few weeks? And what about your bf if you do go and stay with your father. Will he live inside one of those giant tents that cover the entire house and fumigate all sorts of bad stuff? I think that's pretty unrealistic. And he won't have anyone over during the two weeks you're gone, so you'll be safe when you return? If your bf is not as diligent as you about eradicating germs with hand washing, sanitizer, Lysol..........I'm afraid your "safe environment" will be contaminated.

I am NOT saying that your phobia is stupid, nor am I saying that YOU are stupid. I am, however, saying that sitting around whinning about it is a total waste of everybodies time and you need to get off your duff, see a psychiatrist and deal with this head on.

You will get a lot of support from all of us while you are working your way through this phobia with your p-doc, but if you do nothing to help yourself overcome this and move on, you can't really expect us to keep enabling you to stay inside your box.
There is a solution for your problem and if you don't reach out and grab it, then I have to think it's not recovery you want but attention. Let us know how that works out for you.
Peace
Greenlydia

It's very difficult to believe that you are more phobic in your own home than you are in public!
It will help, to a point, that you did not come into direct contact with this person, but most viruses are airborne, so even if you had locked yourself in the bathroon for his entire visit, if you're still breathing, and he was still contagious, you were exposed.
Staying at your dads is interesting. Is his home hermetically sealed? There are no germs in is home? The paper boy did not sneeze or cough through the screen door while waitig for your dad to get his check book? Has your father not had any visitors in the past few weeks? And what about your bf if you do go and stay with your father. Will he live inside one of those giant tents that cover the entire house and fumigate all sorts of bad stuff? I think that's pretty unrealistic. And he won't have anyone over during the two weeks you're gone, so you'll be safe when you return? If your bf is not as diligent as you about eradicating germs with hand washing, sanitizer, Lysol..........I'm afraid your "safe environment" will be contaminated.

I am NOT saying that your phobia is stupid, nor am I saying that YOU are stupid. I am, however, saying that sitting around whinning about it is a total waste of everybodies time and you need to get off your duff, see a psychiatrist and deal with this head on.

You will get a lot of support from all of us while you are working your way through this phobia with your p-doc, but if you do nothing to help yourself overcome this and move on, you can't really expect us to keep enabling you to stay inside your box.
There is a solution for your problem and if you don't reach out and grab it, then I have to think it's not recovery you want but attention. Let us know how that works out for you.
Peace
Greenlydia

Hey, I hear ya! I have been working on my own germ problem for a while, and I have found some really great help by working on my own health, both physical and emotional. I use some great cleaner called "Thieves" for my home and it flat kills the germs, but is not dangerous for people at all. I also have done some stuff to help myself be less ocd about it. If you are interested I would love to share what I have been doing.

Hey, I hear ya! I have been working on my own germ problem for a while, and I have found some really great help by working on my own health, both physical and emotional. I use some great cleaner called "Thieves" for my home and it flat kills the germs, but is not dangerous for people at all. I also have done some stuff to help myself be less ocd about it. If you are interested I would love to share what I have been doing.

My boyfriend invited his friend over last night who had a stomach virus sunday. Now I've been totally ocd about lysoling EVERYTHING. I can't stop washing my hands or hand sanitizing. I'm seriously losing my mind. I keep thinking about germs being everywhere in my home. Its getting so bad I asked my dad if I could stay at his house for 2 weeks because I read online germs can stay on surfaces up to 2 weeks. My boyfriend shared cigs with him last night and I won't let my bf anywhere near me and he's beginning to get mad at me.

I'm sure im blowing this way out of proportion. The guy was only here for a few hours and all they did was sit on the couch and play video games.

What can I do to stop freaking out about germs?? This isn't new but I've never been so freaked out and ocd about my fear of germs.

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